Three-goal second half leads UNM past CSU
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team kept knocking on the door against Colorado State with the game tied 1-1 with less than 20 minutes remaining and finally broke through with a trio of goals in a 6-minute, 17-second span to beat the Rams 4-2 Friday afternoon at UNM Soccer Complex.
Claire Lynch’s second goal of the contest on a free kick just outside the box that was deposited into the top-right corner in the 72nd minute ignited the Lobos’ (11-6 overall, 6-3 Mountain West) scoring barrage. It was Lynch’s ninth goal of the season (a career high and the eighth-most in UNM single-season history) and the 26th of her career (third place on UNM’s all-time list).
REPLAY | In the 72nd minute Claire Lynch gives the Lobos a 2-1 lead over Colorado State. It was her 2nd goal of the game. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/zsIjxS8TLW
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 20, 2017
Freshman Aspen Headrick two minutes later took a ball headed by CSU (4-8-5, 2-4-3) in the box out of the air and one-timed it into the goal to push the Lobo lead to 3-1. For Headrick, it was her first collegiate goal.
REPLAY | Freshman Aspen Headrick scores her first collegiate goal to give the Lobos a 3-1 lead over CSU in the 75th minute. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/oGdpmulxul
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 20, 2017
UNM capped its scoring in the 79th minute as Jessica Nelson’s flip throw soared 30 yards and through the CSU keeper’s hands and into the goal to make it 4-1. It was her second goal of the season.
REPLAY | Jessica Nelson scores on the throw in as it goes off the keeper’s hands to make it 4-1 Lobos in the 79th minute. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/CjytKqmHlx
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 20, 2017
“In the first half we came out really well and set the tone, but for some reason we took our foot off the gas,” UNM coach Heather Dyche said. “… We talked about at halftime that we still have a chance to win the conference – though we’d need a little help from San Jose – and we have a chance for a bye (in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament). But you have to play that way. You have to play desperate. A loss doesn’t hurt you while a win almost solidifies us (in the MW Tournament).”
No matter what happens with the late games Friday night, the Lobos will remain in second place in the conference with 18 points – four points behind San Jose State (who beat Colorado College 3-2 on the road Friday). Air Force, which the Lobos were tied with entering Friday’s action with 15 points, plays at Fresno State late Friday night while Boise State defeated Nevada on Friday to move up to 17 points. San Diego State with its 14 points hosts Wyoming later Friday night.
As Dyche mentioned, the Lobos came out strong Friday and dominated play early. The Lobos got on the board first in the 21st minute when Jill Olguin headed a ball back to Quincy Slora who lofted it into the box where Lynch was there to finish it with a header to make it 1-0.
21′ | GOAL! Claire Lynch scores with a header on assists from Slora and Olguin. Lobos lead 1-0. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/tcrswvup8b
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 20, 2017
But the lead lasted exactly 1:29 as Colorado State’s Caeley Lordemann scored to tie the game 1-1.
However, a halftime talk redirected the Lobos’ energy for a three-goal second half.
“I think in the first half we didn’t come out as high energy and passionate as we wanted to,” Lynch said. “We talked about it at halftime and we came out in the second half knowing this was a really important game for us for the tournament. I think that helped us to push through in the second half.”
The Lobos outshot the Rams 27-10, a season-high in shots for UNM. Olguin paced UNM with six shots while Lynch had four and Headrick and Jessie Hix had three apiece.
Emily Johnson picked up two saves for the Lobos at keeper to move her record to 11-6 on the season.
UNM hits the road to take on Wyoming 12:30 p.m. Sunday in Laramie.